Can't Measure

a picture.

it's worth far more than we could ever express.

the photograph was discovered in the mid 1700's.

and it's been strong and evolving e v e r s i n c e.

there is something about a picture, a photograph that leaves us speechless.

we can have bitter,

sweet,

and 

bittersweet memories associated with the photograph,

but either way, it has a profound impact and strongly affects our lives.

to be honest, i miss my Polaroid i had when i was growing up, and long for another one.

and i miss printing out pictures. 

running to the developer and giving them my name, and tapping my fingers on the counter while i chewed my gum until the cashier appeared 

with my roll of film! 

too excited to wait till I got home so i'd open the envelope in the car and start going through them, and instantly take out the ones that didn't "turn out". 

gosh, remember the days?

i can't remember the last time i printed a picture out. 

photos over the years have become more and more invaluable to me for many reasons,

so today, as we start to approach the new year, i wanted to share my absolute favorites with you!

{this was no easy task, there were just way too many to choose from, but i did my best and i hope you enjoy!}

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top pics (get it, pics, picks)

 this precious girl turned16!!! sweet 16, we embraced you.

{what a roller coaster parenting has been, and when madelynn turned 16, it was so surreal! what a blast we had!}

 gettin out this summer for dinner on a roof top downtown minneapolis with madelynn and her friends, then taking a stroll down stone arch bridge. these are the sweetest times.

 i am a sucker for animals, and this guy was hangin on the street, so they let me take a pic with him!

 i took this shot at the minnesota arboretum, i really am proud of it.

 my daughter's prom!

a fresh, fluffy boy all brushed and clean!

i took these shots in our kitchy motel room when we were in Milwaukee this summer,

i really really really adore these two pics.

 Milwaukee

 the three of us went up to a cabin this summer and we baked cookies one afternoon; for some reason i just love this shot of my daughter!

north shore

 north shore cabin

what my house can look like at any given moment, and i love it! a house full of teenagers!

 thanks to instagram and all the other cool photo programs i have become a much better picture taker this year! i am forever indebted to you instagram! you hear me!? without you i am lost!

the one above and the next two were taken at a nature preserve.

 after school snap shots are my fave.

 my girlfriends tree

 nells doing what he does best, being cute and peculiar

a distant cousins commune that we visited this summer

fall photo shoot (by ourselves, camera was timed!)

 this year i really pushed myself physically. mid 2011 my doctors said i could try to pick up my pace a bit, so i did. i over did it i think, and have quite a few injuries now due to it, 

but i am proud of myself for going all the places i did! it did make me stronger!

i got out more in 2011 than i have since 2006.

here i am in chicago in the "bean" and eating a cupcake from a cupcake van on the street!

i also studied more and more about birds, and am an avid bird watcher. i took lots and lots of pictures of birds this year. i saw my first ever eastern bluebird, female cardinal, starlings, and juncos! here is my bluebird!

nells and i were home halloween night alone, and it was so nice and cozy. i snapped this pic right outside the front door, i just love it. can you see why?

he got really excited for the trick or treaters.

my ten year wedding anniversary!

here we are at The Acropolis above

and in Crete below

and of course, last but not least, santorini island in greece.

it's a challenge to share a year in pictures, but even more of a challenge to share my year without pictures.

meaning, all i learned when i wasn't in front of the camera, which is obviously 98% of the time.

that's where my life really happens, but i am glad i am one to be intentional about taking pictures. 

i won't look back one day and regret that i should have taken more. b/c for several years there is a block of no pictures. i didn't take any pictures for most of my life.

i had a lot of catching up to do. 

i'm so thankful that pictures can help us document our lives and help us to share our beautiful stories. 

maybe soon i can get cohesive enough to post about all i learned in 2011 without pictures.

ok, maybe one or two.